W Reid 80, xx
Match Information
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: J Matthews (Greenock)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
We saw how a visit of the popular Light Blues to Paisley could attract an attendance of about 12,000 to the St Mirren’s ground the game was worthy of good patronage. It was lively and interesting from start to finish, with the issue in doubt till five minutes from the finish. The Saints made a fine appearance in the first half, and while they had a good deal of defending to do after the interval, they defied the efforts of the Ibrox men to score till seven minutes from the close. When the Rangers rattled on their second goal within two minutes of the first. I could not help feeling sympathetic towards the Saints and their patrons. I think most people had made up their minds for a goalless draw when the Rangers’ two goals came along in rapid succession. There was a period, shortly after change of ends, when Referee Matthews had a trying time of it, the game taking on quite a Donnybrook complexion. Shady tactics and threatened fisticuffs were much too rife at this stage, but fortunately, this blight on a good game did not last long. The Saints were very sprightly at the start and kept Hempsey busy. Assisted by the breeze, they bore down several times dangerously on the Rangers’ goalkeeper, who had occasionally to dodge on-rushing opponents when in the act of clearing. Brown on the Saints’ left, had a fine run and his shot just topped the bar. Page had particularly hard lines when he rounded off a smart combined attack with a drive which went behind off the cross-bar. The same player did a bit of clever dribbling immediately after. Near goal he parted to Brown, who shot into Hempsey’s hands. The first sign of steadying on the part of the visitors was a passing run by Cunningham and Paterson. From the latter’s cross, Reid made a capital attempt to head through. This was followed by a great shot from Cairns on the right. From O’Hagan’s parry Paterson was left with a rare scoring chance, but lofted wildly over. End to End play on very fast and strenuous lines continued till the interval. The finishing on both sides was poor. Brannick shot over from a good opening, but the worst miss of the lot was when Cairns, a few yards from an open goal, drove past, after Reid had raced through the Paisley defence with fine dash and made the opening. Hempsey had more work this half then O’Hagan. The Ibrox custodian got slightly injured through being charged against the upright by Clark, and once, when he let the ball slip from his grasp, he only baulked the Saint’s centre by a very smart recovery. It was a different tale entirely after the change of ends. After some very robust exchanges, during which temper threatened to spoil the game, the Light Blues settled to a series of persistent raids on O’Hagan’s charge, and the Saints’ clever keeper was kept busy. The Rangers’ half-backs took a strong grip of the game, and the wing forwards kept racing through and crossing dangerously. Now and again the Paisley forwards strove hard by wide passing to open out play, and from a breakaway and shot into goal by Sowerby Hempsey was nearly rushed through when in possession. But for the most part the home men were kept pinned to their own half of the field. Numerous shots by the Ibrox forwards went narrowly past or over, and O’Hagan got through some good work for his side. He held brilliantly two unexpected low shots by Cunningham, which came through a crowd of players. He also put past very cleverly a shot by Reid which was going in close to the upright. The finest individual turn of the day was contributed by Gordon, who after beating several opponents on the run sent the ball travelling along the cross-bar with his final effort from an awkward angle. A lovely cross by Bennett almost from the goal line led to Rangers scoring. O’Hagan, in pursuing the cross, was forestalled by Cairns, who tapped the ball to Reid who was unmarked in the goalmouth. I had to make inquiry at the close of the game as to whether the ball was through before Reid made ‘siccar.’ The Rangers’ played credit the score to Reid, who two minutes later fastened on to a cross by Paterson and again gave O’Hagan no chance. Naturally I followed very closely the play of the Rangers new stalwart Andrew Cunningham. In the first half he partnered Paterson on the left, but at the interval he exchanged places with Cairns, who was not happy in the inside-right berth. I like the studied confidence movements of the big ex-Kilmarnock player, who manoeuvred hard to get in some of his express deliveries at goal. The Saints’ defenders are due every credit for the persistency with which they frustrated his efforts at the critical moment, as also those of Reid in Centre. The Rangers were well served by their light-weights Bennett and Paterson, on the extreme wings. Both showed plenty of pluck, and were both neat and speedy in their sprints up the wing, as well as crossing accurately. Bowie was clever in the Rangers’ middle line in the first half, and also played well after crossing over, when Gordon and Pursell largely dominated the play. Gordon’s dash was refreshing, and strong headwork was a feature of Pursell’s fine display. When the Saints were most aggressive Muir put up a strong game at back. Craig did some clever things after the interval in his own artistic way. The Saints’ defenders wrought like Trojans all the way through and nearly achieved their object. If Andrew Reid’s methods were somewhat suggestive of a bull in a china shop they were effective most of the time. R Reid played a fine spoiling game at Centre-half. All the Paisley forwards did well for half the game. In the second half only Sowerby and Page troubled the Rangers’ defence much
